It’s almost time for Racefest, one of the most exciting events to come out of the annual Englewood Beach Waterfest! If you’ve got the need for speed and are staying at the wannaB over the November 17th weekend, then we can’t recommend enough that you head down to Englewood beach to get in on the fun! The weekend is sure to be filled with excitement, action, and a whole lot of fast and beautiful boats! What could be better? Need more convincing? Well you’re in luck, because we’ve got a full run-down of the festival right here.

Friday

The three-day festival kicks off on November 16th and runs through the 18th. On Friday, November 16th, be sure to stop by historic Dearborn Street for a chance to get an up-close-and-personal look at the boats and meet some of the teams at the Block Party. The party is going to be a free event to the public where you can get familiar with the over 40 boats that are entered in the races. The block party is going to run from 5:00pm to 9:00 pm which should provide ample time to check out each vessel (provided you don’t get held up salivating over a particularly shiny one). And what’s a party without food and drinks? Street vendors, food trucks, and beverage stations will all be setting up to make sure you’re well taken care of, so you can make a whole night of the party!

Saturday & Sunday

Saturday, November 17th is when the real fun begins. Races kick off at 11:00am, with the last race of the day being held at 3:00pm. Similarly, races run from 11:00am to 3:00pm on Sunday, with an awards ceremony being held at 7:00pm. Traditionally, these races are high-octane, so if you’re a fan of aquatic action, then you’ve got to head down to Waterfest Village on Englewood Beach during the event. If you want to make a whole day of it, make sure you stop by Waterfest Beach Oasis and Food Court too! Howard’s Restaurant will be offering seafood and American fare, and Paraiso will be grilling up some authentic Mexican favorites! Plus, there will be plenty of beverage stations serving: beer, wine, mixed drinks, margaritas and sangria, so you can really turn Racefest into a party!

There’s Something for Everyone!

Bringing the kids along to Racefest? Make sure to stop by the Family Conservation Center. Mote Marine Laboratory will have six exhibits set up during Racefest:

Fin-Tastic Friends – an exhibit devoted to truths about often misunderstood sharks and rays

Florida Watersheds – learn about what kind of creatures are native to Florida

Marine CSI – learn about Mote’s team of experts who investigate animal standings.

Spineless Sea – learn about the weird adaptations of the invertebrates.

Turtely Turtles – learn all about some of our favorite creatures: sea turtles

Radical Reefs – learn about the interesting world of the reef’s ecosystem.

In addition to Mote Marine Laboratory, the following exhibits are also scheduled to set up during Racefest:

Shark Brothers

Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission

Peace River Wildlife Club with Luna the Owl

Lemon Bay High Marine Conservation Club

Punta Gorda/Englewood Beach Visitor & Conservation Bureau

Tropical Seas Reef Safe Sunscreen

Barrier Island State Park Society

Friends of Stump Pass

Wildlife Center of Venice

There are plenty of other fun activities for your kids to enjoy throughout the day as well, like: a bean bag toss, ring toss, face painting, a photo booth and much more.

The 2018 Englewood Beach Racefest is going to be a weekend of fun you won’t soon forget, and with so many food and drink options, and activities for the whole family, it should be a no-brainer when it comes to checking out the event. If you’re interested, you can find more info as well as tickets to the event on the Englewood Beach Waterfest website.

For more on the goings on around the wannaB, stay tuned to wannaBinn.com, and don’t forget to follow us on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter for ideas about things to do on your Florida getaway!